Edmonds City Council set to extend pot moratorium another 90 days

The Edmonds City Council Tuesday night has on its consent agenda an item that would extend the city’s existing moratorium on marijuana-related businesses for an additional 90 days. City Council President Diane Buckshnis says the delay is the allow more time for the issue to be studied.

According to the council agenda on the city’s website:

The City Council established a moratorium on marijuana-related businesses and activities on August 20, 2013, to enable the City to develop appropriate regulations addressing the implementation of I-502 within Edmonds. The moratorium expires on February 20, 2014. The Planning Board will be holding a public hearing on zoning provisions on February 12, 2014. Given the timing of the Planning Board’s action, and the fact that the Council has not yet reviewed proposed licensing amendments to the City Code, an extension of the existing moratorium for a short time is appropriate.

“The Planning Board will complete their due diligence, and then the matter will come before full Council,” Buckshnis said. “So from my standpoint, it just makes sense to give another 90 days for deliberation on the issues that will have to be considered.”

Also on Tuesday, the council will again interview in person six candidates for the vacant city council position 6 (a seventh person will be asked additional questions via email). These returning candidates are among 14 who are being considered for appointment to the council seat, and are not finalists, Buckshnis has said. Tuesday’s agenda states that the seven were chosen because councilmembers weren’t able to ask all their questions in the time provided; wanted to ask clarifying or follow-up questions; or were not as familiar with those selected as they were with other applicants.

The council will allow approximately 20 minutes per interview and may ask up to two questions per applicant. The following is the schedule for interviews:

All applicants are eligible to be nominated for appointment when the council votes during its Feb. 11 meeting.

Also on the council agenda:

A public hearing on the Parks, Recreation, and Open Space and Community Cultural plans.

The annual report for the Economic Development Commission.

The council will meet in executive session at 6:30 p.m. Tuesday regarding property acquisition and collective bargaining, followed by the regular meeting at 7 p.m. The meeting will be in the Council Chambers, Public Safety Complex, 250 5th Ave. N. You can see the entire agenda here.

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